The purpose of the present invention is a safety push-button pad intended in particular but not exclusively, for kitchen appliances such as food processors.
Using a food processor, with tools mounted on the motor shaft, one can do a variety of tasks such as cutting, chopping, blending, mixing, etc.
FR-A-2 146 361 (VERDUN) described a food processor comprising a base containing an electric motor, from the surface of which the motor shaft protrudes into a removable container inside of which various tools can be operated at different times.
In order to avoid hands coming in contact with moving tools, the processor can only operate if a cover is in position on the container. This result is obtained by equipping the cover with a cam coming to bear, when the cover is properly placed on the container, on the upper end of a stem disposed along an axis relative to or generated from the container, which can be cylindrical. The lower end then passes through the base to come to bear on a switch connected in series in the feed circuit of the motor. This is the safety function.
The appliance is usually turned on with a push-button. The keypad of such appliances usually has three buttons, marked ON, OFF and PULSE. The ON button provides continuous operation of the appliance, which is only stopped by pushing the OFF button. The PULSE button, for short periods of work, only runs the motor for as long as the button is pressed down. But certain simplified keypads only have one button.
This is to say that the operating and safety functions are carried out by two independent organs. The purpose of the invention is to remedy this inconvenience and to make operation of such appliances safer by combining means for operation and safety.
Accordingly, the invention comprises a safety keypad for a food processor comprising a base containing an electric motor and its command circuit operated by a push-button keypad, a removable container mounted on the base that can be closed with a cover, the cover including a cam that comes to bear, when the cover is locked on to the container, on the end of a stem running into a housing extending according to a generator of the cylindrical container, and is characterized by the fact that, above the stem and in its elongation, a piston interdependent with a microswitch is mounted running into the base, a related button corresponding with a lever coming to bear, through pressing on the corresponding button, on the control of the microswitch.
According to another characteristic of the invention, the lever associated with the button is mounted pivoting on the inside of the base and presents a plane supporting surface on the contact button of the microswitch.